Is Africa the New Accessory?

Just yesterday I was baking cookies with my youth leader, Kim, and we got on the topic of how so many celebrities are working the whole "African aid" thing right now, when she asked the question "Is Africa the new accessory?" The past few days it's really been on my mind, and at the forefront of media with Madonna apparently being the next best thing since sliced bread. Not sure how many of you have heard, but Madonna has recently adopted a 13 month old boy from Malawi. It doesn't say much in that article, but I was reading about it in my Mom's People magazine. Getting through the article was hard enough as it idolized Madonna for such a caring and compassionate deed, but when it mentioned the fact the baby's father had no idea who Madonna was it was as though they were making the statement seem sad. I'm not going to go on and on about this because you guys could probably google it or check out a number of magazines, and you will find her face along with her precious new child.
Please don't think I'm playing down the idea of adapting a child who's less fortunate when you have the resources and the love to share. Madonna may have a very genuine and caring heart in this adaption process of her new boy. Perhaps we can blame media, once again, for the issue. Sometimes though I look at these stars, and with the exception of Bono, I constantly question their motives in joining these aid organizations and taking these treks over to the third world countries. To a point it enrages me, in the sense that if you're doing this for the good of the children, why is your entourage of photographers on your heels?
Maybe Africa is the latest accessory in the celebrity world. No matter how they act or what they do, have them say a word in some African tribal language, throw their face next to some starving orphans, and they become the world's favorite person. Think what you want on the matter, but I'd like some people to understand there's so much more to the picture than the adaption of a child, or some huge "forgive the debt" party. There's faces, people, and lives scattered in the background of each of those celebrity's glamour-for-good shots. They're the true celebrities in my opinion.
Toooooo conclude my angry post, I will leave you with a poem I wrote this summer. I was at the beach one day floating on the water when it hit me - this water I was using to waste some time and have some fun in was the same water that people half a world away will spend half a day walking for, to maybe get a bucket of it.

The splash of fredom hits my face
With a new offering.
A slide show of poverty and breaking hearts wash across my mind
As I recall the days of the past.
While I drink up
Little of what's left of
This world's vain hopes
I realize my innumerable blessings.
To walk through AIDS
And kiss the orphan
And to now float upon clean water
Seems so contradicting.
As I sit with my family
For another plentiful meal,
I know they sit with who is left
Hoping for something
Substantial.
The same sun I bask under
Is the one they suffer under.
God's looking through this all
Begging for some common sense
To maybe give a little.
So after two lives
Bonded as one
I can see why.
Because the orphan's cry gets lost in our talk shows
And the starving woman's plea isn't heard at the drive-thru.
Walk with true suffering And then maybe we'll see
The grief, anger, guilt,
Selfishness
That's carried us out to this sea.
This sea we call our life
And as they like to say
"My Dream"



.Malawi without Madonna.
(taken when i was there last January)

Shakespeare's Magical Touch

Last year I experienced the joy, for the first time, of having to read Shakespeare on my own, in Julius Ceaser. Somehow it had this incredible influence on me whether I was watching the old school movie, or reading the book, I was able to fall asleep in seconds. Amazing. Not saying it's boring or anything...I mean I understood it. Recently we moved onto a classic, Macbeth, in English class. As of late I've felt very exhausted and had no time to catch up on my sleep. Therefore Shakespeare has worked his magical touch once again. Just now I was doing my homework, reading scenes I and II of Act 2. Believe it or not, I was down for the count. So I made myself a cup of hot chocolate (which is usually a gauranteed anti-sleep factor) and pushed on with heavy eyes. Afterwards, so that I understand what the heck is going on in the book, I read the side pages with the definitions, read the back scene summaries, and then googled it used spark notes to get an in depth look at the scenes. Oh man.
On the subject of sleep, I have been pondering for quite a while now whether or not I am a secret superhero. Secret to myself, and the world. Do not laugh guys...seriously...I was observing the positions I tend to sleep in the other night, and, well, I'd say they lead to my superhero conclusion...
Observe example one (disregard the extreme disproportionism). The extended arm is usually under my pillow. If you compare this with the traditional Superman flying pose, I would say we look like pretty good buddies.


Not.Even.Joking.

Position two...
Once again showing no regard for the fact it is completely unproportionate, I think we can all see here I am not only a superhero, but a ninja superhero. Oh-snap. You heard me.



After considering my mind blowing superhero abilities I thought to myself - all superheroes need a weakness, do they not? It hit me then, Shakespeare is my weakness. However after being hit with that and knowing it puts me to sleep, do I not become a ninja superhero when I fall asleep? In conclusion, I am invincible. Thankyou.

The Wedding

Okay, due to high demand (or two comments) I shall write to you all about the big day. Pictures will come in a couple days, because I don't have time to upload them all right now.

Friday morning us bridemaids met up at the hairdressers where there was a half hour of panic since Sam had forgotten the picture of how she wanted her hair done. Luckily Africa had taught me how to find different internet sources so I was able to use Sam's mom's friend's laptop to hook us up to google, and bam, we found it. Jill and I were the first (besides the bride) in the hair chairs. I was sort of scared my hair wasn't going to work out because the bobby pins kept sliding right out. FIVE tries later my hair was done. Jill and I drove back to the Isslers (where women were getting ready) and got ready while we waited for the crew. We were supposed to leave the house at 1, and everybody got to the house at 12:30. Brittany, Amie, Sue, Sam, and Rick still had to get the proper attire on and do their makeup (with the exception of Rick haha). NUTS! So that was basically panic mode. We all hopped in a limo then and stopped on the way at a gas station to grab some drinks haha.

When we got to the park I was so thankful to see clear skies, and considerably warm weather. The guys walked into that song from Rocky, and us girls to a song from Phantom of the Opera (not the one you're thinking of). Best moment was when I was walking to the front, and Kelly and I had eye contact and he just gave me a huge smile and we each said more there than we could've with actual words. Sam looked gorgeous walking through the trees with Rick, down the aisle to beauty and the beast song. You know the part in weddings where the minister asks "who gives this woman to marry this man?" and then the bride's parents say "we do"? Well they did that, and Kelly walked over to Rick and they did paper rock scissors hahaha. The first time it was a tie for paper, and the second kelly won the woman with paper over rock. So awesome. The ceremony was beautiful. It stayed really nice out right up until we finished pictures at the park, and as we were getting into the cars it began raining. Through the ceremony I managed to hold it together, but I shed actual tears when kelly and I shared a big hug, I love him sooo much.

Reception in one word: sweeet. It was at Manteo Resort, right on the lake, and it was so nice. I discovered the head table isn't all it's cracked up to be. Makes for hard conversation, and a limited amount of people to converse with. So I made a man out of a plate, and some cutlery, using one of the little rocks for a belly button. Awesome, so awesome. After a while, I got up and socialized with the crowd. This was when I found Dawn's table fighting with table 11. Not what you think. The center pieces were vauses with japanese fighting fish, therefore it was the fish. For a while the blue one just puffed up and chased the red one, but that was about it. After getting some chocolate mousse, I came back to the table and was talking to Corrie when we both looked over at the fish bowl and he pointed out there was only one fish. After that realization, we noticed a red flopping fish on the table. It got flippin knocked out of the bowl! BAHA!! So we threw him back in and he got knocked back out. So he went back to his own bowl then (teehee). Sometime during the reception Holly, Michelle and I went up and did a spontaneous speech where I shared a couple sweet stories about growing up with a boy like Kelly, and Holly about how Sam has always been in love with kelly.

Sam and Kelly made the wedding party dance. What a gong show. It was to some Bob Marley song. Steve and I just did the classic step back and forth for a while, and then we all joined hands and made one big circle and just sort of spun around hahaha and then girls and guys split up and we did super super lame dance off. So awesome. Hahahaha. Then the real dance party began when everybody partied it up on the floor. Here is where big props go out to Dawn for her mad dancing skills on that "celebrate good times COME ON!" song.

So folks there is my rush job of a summerization of the wedding. I hope you enjoy! I have homework to get to, a resume to write, and new clothes to put away! Pictures to come soon...

PS Have myspace? ME TOO! http://www.myspace.com/theredbenodistance

Bachlorette Parrrrrty/History Makers-pics

So, this weekend? Amaaaazing. It was Sam's bachlorette party, and wow, what a load of fun with fun on top...

Saturdat at aproximately 5pm Amie, Jill, Brittany, and I sauntered on over to the Nelsons to accomplish step one of "Bachlorette Night." We opened the door and shouted surprise as soon as Sam saw us, and she began getting all dressed up, and applying the make-up essentials. As she turned to place a bracelet upon her wrist I tied the blindold on and we attached her veil and "Bride To Be" sash.
A couple car rides later and us, along with the rest of the invited, were seated at Earls On Top. Our waiter was extremely cute, which made the dinner just that much more enjoyable. I have also decided a Sex On The Beach is ever so delicious. Silly Earls, they don't ID. Who was underaged? How about who wasn't (1 of the entire party)? My dinner was a Hot Chicken Ceaser Salad which was extremely delicious. One by one we paid our bills and entered into the next activity.
Team HOT consisted of Jill, Leah, Monica, Mkyla, and me. Team NOT consisted of Sam, Katelyn, Elise, Brittany, and Amie. Sidenote: Leah came up with the team names...hehe. We had to perform different tasks around town to get points for our team. Memorable ones included: singing the Oscar Meyer Weiner song infront of the hot dog section of a grocery store, get a single guy's number, kiss a guy on the cheek, buy a gag honeymoon gift (ours was a pregnancy test), dance on a chair in Burger King, throw a tantrum infront of a crowd, ride the Ogopogoo sexually, pole dance on a sign with a bad name (ex. team not team member to remain anonymous polde danced on the Mr.Lube sign).
Bowling followed the nutso town chase. Brittany and I dedicated "Buttons" by Pussycat Dolls to Sam, and it was announced over the speakers, bahaha. They also played a Backstreet Boys video, which pretty much made the night. I lost the bowling, with a final score of 24, haha. Good thing I don't take life too seriously.
We headed over to Josh & Kate's after bowling. Activited involved a toast, DDR, Karaoke, chocolate, laughing, falling, and didgeridoo playing. I discovered that fateful night that I have incredible hidden didgeridoo talents. That shall be my next purchase, after Guatemala (more on that later).
My night came to an end upon my pillows at 2:30am. 5 and a half hours later a family which apparently does not comprehend late nights felt free to stomp and yell around the house. What? Oh yes, I did want to punch each and every one of them. Rest of the day I could cry at the snap of your fingers, and throw a fit over ice. Sunday involved the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Dang.

Gautemala...
So on Spring Break the sunday school class of "History Makers" from our church is going to Guatemala. I would really love to go beyond anything ever, but the trip does cost dollars, 1200 of them to be exact. I am getting a job at the end of October (there's too much going on during the month), but I'm not sure how much I'll make. The hard part is I need to work to get money for post-secondary schooling, but I need money for Guatemala at the same time. In short, if you guys could please just keep this in your prayers, you would be awesome.

Now let's sign off with a little random slide show from the last history makers missions trip (to Ukraine)...


Hillsong Kiev

The Orphanage

Dobromyl

Bubble Parrrrrrty

A Heck Load of Luggage

Andy, Graham, Rob, Paul, and Me during boot camp in White Rock

PS - check out brotha Paul's site... www.livingroomchurch.com